MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS FOR UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS: NEW YORK, 9-20 JULY 2001

                                                            Note No. 5674

                                                            6 July 2001

Note to Correspondents

MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS FOR UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT TRADE

IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS:  NEW YORK, 9-20 JULY 2001

The United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects takes place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 20 July 2001.  Although the Building will be open to the public during this period, access to the Conference will be restricted to those persons who are accredited and wearing a United Nations grounds pass.

The Media Accreditation Centre for the Conference will be in a temporary facility located at the North Lawn.  Access will be by the entrance at 47^th Street and First Avenue.  Media can obtain accreditation at this facility as of Monday,  9 July, from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.  Beginning on Tuesday, 10 July, and for the rest of the Conference, the hours will be 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.  Correspondents already possessing a valid United Nations grounds pass will not need additional accreditation.  All others must apply for accreditation by submitting a completed form available from:

-- Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, room S-250, United Nations.

Tel.:  (212) 963-6934/7164/2393/2392; fax:  (212) 963-4642

-- The UN Web site at www.un.org/Depts/dda/CAB/smallarms/media.htm

-- United Nations Information Centres and offices around the world

The completed form should be faxed, along with a letter of assignment, to (212) 963-4642.  It is not possible to send an acknowledgement, but journalists may follow up by telephoning (212) 963-6934/7164.

All members of the press corps accompanying heads of delegations must complete an application form for accreditation.  That form must be attached to an official letter from the permanent mission concerned, addressed to the Chief, Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, News and Media Division, Department of Public Information (DPI), at the above address.  The letter must list the names of the media representatives with their functional titles and affiliation.

After arrival in New York, all members of the press corps accompanying the head of delegation must present themselves to the Accreditation Centre, where they will have their photographs taken and be issued a United Nations grounds pass upon presentation of national passports and another valid photo ID.

All other media wishing to cover the Conference will have a United Nations grounds pass issued at the Accreditation Centre upon presentation of a letter of assignment from their Editor-in-Chief, addressed to the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, along with two pieces of photo identification (such as passport, national press credentials, police press pass, driver's licence, etc.). 

For security reasons, members of the press corps will be required to wear both their United Nations grounds pass and national press ID at all times.

Entry and Screening Procedures

The designated press entrance for the Conference will be the visitors’ gate located at First Avenue and 46th Street.  All media representatives will be required to present a valid United Nations grounds pass to the United Nations security officers at the entrance gate.  The visitors’ gate will be open at 8 a.m. throughout the Conference.  If media with equipment need to arrive before 8 a.m., they should make special arrangements by calling (212) 963-6934 to arrange clearance.  All press personnel are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time for screening.  Last-minute arrivals may encounter delays.

Press Working Area

The press working area is located on the third floor (“Bull Pen” area) of the Secretariat Building. In addition to the facilities normally available to the press, the following services will be provided to the visiting media representatives:

-- a limited number of computers;

-- documents distribution, including press releases;

-- access to the Press Gallery on the fourth floor of the General Assembly Building.

United Nations Audio-Visual Materials and Services

Photographs, videotapes and audio tapes of the open meetings are available from the United Nations.  Each day during the Conference, the offices that provide these services will open from 9 a.m.

Photographs will be available to delegations for a nominal fee and to accredited correspondents free of charge.  Photographs of morning speeches will be available, if possible, during the afternoon of the same day; afternoon speeches, the following morning, if possible.  Please direct inquiries and requests to: United Nations Photo Library, room S-805-L; Tel:  (212) 963-6927 and 963-0034;  Fax: (212) 963-1658.

Videotapes of speeches are available for a fee in NTSC, in VHS, and Betacam SP formats.  Tape orders in advance will be available for pick-up immediately, if possible, following the speech.  To request a videotape of a speech, contact:

Tel:  (212) 963-0656, 963-1561 or 963-7652 (voicemail); Fax:  (212) 963-4501 and  963-3860; room CB-66 (second basement, one flight down from the Audio Library in the radio and TV studio area).

Live television feeds are available through commercial carriers.  Please contact tel:  (212) 963-7650 for information.  (Please note that unilateral television production services will not be available from United Nations Television during the conference.)

Audio cassettes of speeches will be available, free of charge, from the United Nations Audio Library, located on the first basement concourse level (1-B), in room GA-27; Tel:  (212) 963-9272 or 963-9270; Fax:  (212) 963-3860.

Speeches are normally available in the original (“floor”) language in which they were delivered.   Special requests for the recording of the interpreter’s version in one of the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) should be made in advance, and are subject to the limitations of the recording facilities.

Accredited correspondents are provided with audio cassettes of news items free of charge.  Delegates may request one cassette of each speech free of charge.  Additional copies, back orders and other special requests are subject to charge and are handled by the Sound Recording Unit, room GA-13-C, Tel: (212) 963-7658.

Use of Studios for Interviews

There is limited studio and booth space available for journalists to conduct interviews.  Kindly book in advance by calling (212) 963-7458.  Studio One (for television or radio) can be booked by phoning (212) 963-2392 or 963-6934.  Studio Two (for radio only) can be scheduled by calling (212) 963-7458.  For these studios, media must bring their own equipment, including lights for television.

Visual Coverage in General Assembly Hall

Official photographers and official television crews will have an opportunity to cover the speech of their head of delegation on a rotating basis, from the press booths surrounding the General Assembly Hall.  Owing to space limitations, they may not remain to cover other speeches.  A limited number of still photographers, escorted by DPI liaison staff, will also be allowed to take photographs from the “bridge” at the back of the General Assembly Hall during the speech.  These operations will be coordinated from the third floor liaison desk in the General Assembly Building, Tel: (212) 963-7756 or 963-3353.

Copies of Statements for Press

Statements of heads of delegations will be available as provided by delegations at the Press Documents Distribution Counter, located on the third floor of the Secretariat Building.  No copying facilities will be available for these speeches.

United Nations Press Release Coverage

The DPI will provide press release coverage in English and French of open meetings of the Conference.  They may be obtained from the Press Documents Distribution Counter on the third floor.  Further queries should be directed to the News Coverage and Accreditation Service.  Tel: (212) 963-7211 or 963-2360.

Background Material

For press materials, information about the negotiations and issues, suggestions for interviews and other related assistance, contact the Department of Public Information, Hiro Ueki, tel: (212) 963-1262, e-mail ueki@un.org, or Mikhail Seliankin, tel: (212) 963-6846, e-mail seliankin@un.org

On the Internet, the press kit for the Conference and other background materials can be found at http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/CAB/smallarms.  During the Conference, this site will provide up-to-date information about documents, schedules, special events and NGO activities.  There will be live webcast of the ministerial segment and concluding meeting of the Conference.

Briefing for Journalists

Daily press briefings by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General will be held during the Conference at noon in room S-226.  There will also be at least two press conferences given by the President of the Conference -- on Monday, 9 July, at 12:45 p.m. (room S-226), and on Friday, 20 July, at 12:45 p.m. (room S-226).

Arrangements for Coverage of Bilateral Meetings

Photo opportunities will be available for bilateral meetings that are open for coverage.  Media representatives covering these meetings will be asked to assemble at the third floor liaison desk, from which point they will be escorted by a liaison officer from DPI.  A schedule of bilateral meetings will be issued daily.

Press Conferences and Interviews

Room S-226 has been identified as the venue for press conferences during the Conference.  The list of press conferences will be announced daily by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General and will be posted at www.un.org/News/ossg/conf.htm.

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